If we are, on the Memorial Day, to honor, to remember, to memorialize, the women and men who have pledged, their lives for liberty, we must then take action and remind ourselves to never forget the sacrifices made. We cannot place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, if our prior intentions have denied democracy. We can not place our hands over our hearts, observing a moment of silence, if we had previously spoken of hate, the other, inequality. We can not remove our hats, bow our heads if before that action of respect, we have discounted the values of the poor, the elderly, the individual. Or wipe a tear away from our eyes as previously we had highlighted the differences between us, ignoring what we have in common.
We are to be somber today, reflecting on life lost…but why can’t we ask ourselves the simplest of questions, looking in the mirror as we beg for an answer…are we honoring those who have died for our freedoms…have we leaned the lessons of life so many women and men have fought for…It is Memorial Day 2017, and are we the nation where anyone can succeed, all of us can breathe equality, everyone can achieve the dream…
When we wave the flag, today, reminisce about those we loved, but lost, share our place in the sun with the men and women who have demonstrated valor…can we, with the most boastful and beautiful of words actually say victory is ours…or are we just pretending that if we look the other way, ignore the politics of disruption, we can pretend everything will be alright, in spite of ourselves…For me the true essence of today, is that those who have served, have done so to make the world a better place…I wonder if we have not fulfilled that purpose.
